Good morning Friends…
At 00.40hrs a quite strong and large eruption boomed out. The earthquake could be felt
within the radius of 20 kms. All people who were already evacuated at Umbulharjo
Camp, Turi (15kms from Mount Merapi) were asked to leave the areas as soon as
possible and flee towards Yogyakarta Town. The distance between Merapi Mountain top
and Yogyakarta is around 30kms. This time the blast was very high and it was estimated
to be more than 3-5kms above the mountain top. Sands, gravels, hot water as well ash
fell over Yogya town leaving around 5cms thick of those particles on the ground. People
fled to safety to Yogya Town in many ways possible for them. Panicked people sped off
in cars or trucks or even ambulances. There were so many traffic accidents all over
Kaliurang Road caused by commotion and by the condition of the grounds which were
filled with 5cm of sands and water.
Volunteers from SOS Yogya led the SOS assisted families to move to the North Area of
the Yogya Palace located in the centre of Yogya Town. Other volunteers also led lots of
people to flee to the SOS Secretariat at Trimargo Kulon, which has also been filled with
sands and ash. All essential items such as vegetables, fruits, mineral water, and clothes
were brought inside the secretariat, which was already loaded with other relief items.
SOS partners from TAGANA (youth volunteers) who have helped leading the evacuees
kept doing their works to help many people to move to safer places in Yogya Town such
as Mandalan Krida (located near SOS Timoho Dormitory), North City Hall, South City
Hall, etc. All evacuees tried to flee to the areas near Yogyakarta Palace to find better
shelters and safety there.
At 02.30am I asked my friends, the volunteers from SOS Children's Villages, to hold the
relief in the forms of logistic, masks etc until 08.00 am to give us a chance to see the
situation and condition first. We really had to be careful with the stocks of our logistic
relieves for the evacuees since we don’t know when the eruptions of Mount Merapi will
end. At first I thought that emergency alert would only last for 7 days from the initial
eruption in October 26th, but until now the eruptions continue. Considering that, I extend
the emergency alert until 2 weeks after the initial eruption.
Evacuees from Umbulharjo Camp and Turi Camp (two SOS Children Centres) were
divided in several locations now. Children followed their own parents. Bagong SOS
Children Centre in Magelang should also be emptied and the evacuees fled to safer place
around Borobudur area. Argasiwi Children Centre in Boyolali was also emptied and
evacuees fled to three villages located nearer to Mount Merbabu. Evacuees from Tunas
Bangsa SOS Children Centre in Tempel Sleman fled to Jogja Town. Evacuees from
Panah SOS Children Centre in Klaten were in alert against the searing red lava which
oozing down the slopes around Gendol River directly to Klaten.
Ten SOS Children Centres in Yogya Town were covered with sands and volcanic ash
from Mount Merapi, although the locations of those ten Children Centers are around 30
km from Merapi Mountain top.
That is the report of the most recent situation, until 05.35 this morning. Ash rains keeps
falling on Yogya Town while this report is being written.
Warm regards,
Tata
Yogyakarta, Central Java
November 02, 2010